Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-03-05
A RRW no FUNERAL.
Ueremosios Of old slavery Days sMli Prevail
VoR IN enc Soueh.


tbg IN she South.
From the Atlanta Constitution.
Not long since I was visiting one of the
towns In upper South Carolina l and .
friend we're taking an attsrnoon stroll into
the adjoining country. We had proceeded
some distance and we're passing through .
dense wood, when suddenly my companion
stopped ana nervously inquired: What's
that3' l came to . halt and listened. A
weird, mourniul sound Hoated through the
trees and reached our cara II seemed to
come only a short distance appeared to EN-
snate from the copse ON the other side OF the
road. We crossed over and followed, bent
upon investigating what 1t was. We had
scarcely gained the opposite thicket when we
encroached into one Of those country burial
grounds, which are to he found near every
hamlet In South Carolina.
1t WAS a strange picture that met our stght,
and one that belOn ped more to heathen lands
than To our own civilized country. There,
around nesly-made grave about twenty
five negroes we're collected. They all held
hands aud were slowly moving to and srO,
while they walled forth dirges, and at inter
walls would calculate wild, incoherent words.
In the midst Of the circle, at the head OF the
grave, an old woman SAT, who rocked back
ward and forward. Her eyes rolled wildly.
and she moved In a mechanical way. This
was the widow OF the deceased, and 1t was
her required part In the ceremony to loudly
moan at appointed intervals during the sing
ing. Something In this way their hymn
sounded, as nearly as l could catch the
wOTds
De whita horse he rode,
- Wild De sickle in hs hand,
And slew down our brudder
rom arnaDg our earthly band,
Amoan sisrer. moan
And here tho widow wo,ita xeintroduce
her beathenish incantations. These we're
kept up for some time, when suddenly they
ceased and the negroes prostfated themselves
upon the ground, while the minister, . tail,
very dark negro, stood and offered up q
prayer. After the "amen " was uttered
they rose, and two Of the number took from
q bssks. near some articles with which they
decorated the grave, a. II they were placing
upon the tomb floral offerings They then
slowly formed in procession and silently
marched out Of the enclosure. My friend
and ], curious to decide " hat the peculiar
mode OF grave decoration was, proceeded to
the spot where An old man WAS shouldering
his spade To quit tho place.
Why, OLD man" said !, "~hat are those
things they have left on the grave? Bottles,
shoes, a jug Why, what does 1t all neane'
Well, boss," said the ebony grave digger,
with an AIR Of importance, "you see We puts
dc articles dat de departed brudder use TO
use on de grabe for to keep away de bad
srerrets, and l spose II IL a sort ob 'spectful
way Oh treating de memory OF de lost sister
or bIudder. You see, dars de bottle dat he
take the medicine from when he be sick.
Aud dsrs do jug, 1t had dc last dram he
drunk fore he lined do temperance meetin
an do boots, l spose de dey shoes dat ee
gwine to change for de golden slippers dat
he put on when he inc de ban up yander. 1"
and q oeam OF placid faith illuminated the
old black face.
1t certainly was strange sight Here
we're numberless graves, all bearing the
same picturesque decorations Children's
graves were covered with broken toys, lin
horns, gaudily colored clay cats, dogs and
owls. One mound was almost beat to the
ground with sgs, and on it rested In dilspida-
ton an old bat and the remnants of ban jo
also q clay pipe and a coon skin Near by
them was ths grave Of a blacksmith, with the
implements OF his craft wedged in the
ground, and rusty horse shoes formed 4
circle around the mound.
Looking arOund the strange scene, II was
difficult tor me to realize that WAS in land
of advancement ana civilization while sur
rounded by such relics Of superstition and
barbarisIl. 1 WAS forced TO believe that the
negro, instead OF prog ressing in his religious
views, Is daily evincing tendency to fall
back tn fstchism and voudooism, his origi
nal form of worship. 1t prevaiis among the
negroes, especially on the islands in the
lower portion OF the state They do not, 1t Is
true, give alteration to animals, trees aud
stones, as the Fetch worshipers did centu.
ries ago, bat the difference il very slight
from that OF idoiatry.